Portable dressing cabinet



Nov. 29, 1932. HALA 1,88%3

PORTABLE DRESSING CABINET Filed-Jan. 29, 1952 Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES HALA, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA PORTABLE DRESSING CABINET Application filed. January 29, 1932, Serial No. 589,664, and in Canada April 29, 1931.

My invention relates to improvements in portable dressing cabinets, and more particularly to that type of device which is used by bathers in removing their clothing and donning bathing suits, though the device in question can also be used as a vapor cabinet, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a demountable device of this class, light, and easily portable, and one which is supported entirely upon the shoulders of the user. Another object of the invention is to so construct the demountable top that the same will be supported in horizontal position by the shoulders of the users, thereby ensuring that the curtain carried by said top will be hung well away from the body, thereby providing maximum room for undressing and dressing, and in the following specification and the drawing forming part thereof, I shall describe and illustrate my invention, and what I claim as new will be set forth in the claims forming part of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a plan of the underside of the top of the device in open position, the curtain therefor not being shown. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33, Fig. 2, and Fig. l is a horizontal section through the depending curtains in position for use.

In the drawing, like characters of reference refer to the same parts.

The top of the device embraces a member, centrally apertured, to permit the head of the user to pass therethrough, and this member demountably supports the radial rods so that these rods will occupy a horizontal position when the device is in use and so keep the depending curtains well away from the body of the user. The said member may be made in different ways, but I prefer to make it of two concentric wire rings 2. These rings occupy substantially the same plane, and they are coupled together by any suitable means, preferably by means of sockets 3, which are brazed or otherwise secured thereto so as to hold these rings in spaced relationship. 4 are radially-disposed rods the inner ends of which are removably supported by the sockets 3. The rods 1 are each threaded on a suitable elastic member 5, by means of eyes 6 carried by the outer end of each of the said rods. When the said rods are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said elastic member 5 keeps these rods within their respective sockets 3 and thereby provides more or less rigidity to the frame of the said top, and yet permits the necessary flexibility so as not to inconvenience the user while disrobing. The said elastic member is preferably made of an elastic cord, and it passes under straps 7 suitably secured to the fabric 8 which covers said frame.

To take the said top apart, the rods 4.- are withdrawn from the sockets 3, and are suitably placed so as to permit the device to be folded into compact form. By means of the member 5 passing through the eyes 6, the said rods are always attached to the fabric 8.

The central opening in the member formed of wire rings 2 is closed by a centrally aper- 7 tured piece of fabric 9, and the outer edges of this piece of fabric are suitably secured to the fabric 8 as shown at 10. A circular piece of fabric 11 is also secured to the piece of fabric 9 as at 10, and it is also sewn or otherwise fastened to the fabric 8 as shown at 12 intermediate the sockets 3. The circular piece of fabric 11 rests in contact with the shoulders indicated at a, thereby keeping the wire rings 2 out of contact with the shoulders of the user. In other words, the fabric'll acts as a cushion.

v The central aperture 13 of the piece of fabric 9 is divided as shown at 14, and is provided with a hem 15 through, which draw 35 cords 16 pass. The hem 15 is gathered, and when the device is to be put to use, the central aperture is opened to permit the head to be passed therethrough and the wire rings 2 supported on the shoulders, then the draw cords 16 are pulled to close said apertures.

17 is the curtain, and the same is secured to the fabric Swithin the free edge thereof as shown by the stitching 18 in Fig. 2 and represented by the dotted circle 19 in Fig. 1. This construction provides the fabric 8 with a flap 20 to which flap any suitable means (not shown) may be attached so as to buckle or otherwise fasten the device, when demounted and folded. The curtain 17 is preferably made in two sections, and these sections are detachably connected together as shown at 21 by any suitable means, such as dome fasteners. By making the curtain in two sections, it may be divided so as to form therewith a ground sheet to permit the user of the device to recline thereon while resting.

22 is a socket mounted on the outer wire ring. When the user of the device is using part of the curtain as a ground sheet, the top of the device can be used as a sun shelter, and if a rod (not shown) be inserted in the socket 22, this top may be propped at the desired angle.

When the device is used as just mentioned, the draw cords 16 can be drawn so as to completely close the aperture 13.

Obviously this contrivance may be used to permit one to take a vapor bath. In this use of the contrivance, the user will ordinarily sit on a stool.

Various changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a top embracing a demountable frame through which the head of the user is to be passed to permit said frame to be supported on the users shoulders; a suitable fabric covering said frame and having an opening therein to permit the head to be passed therethrough, and a curtain supported by said frame and adapted to be dropped or lowered to provide a private individual dressing cabinet. 2. A device of the class described comprising a centrally-apertured member adapted to be supported on the shoulders of the user; a plurality of sockets radially carried by said member; a plurality of rods each of which is adapted to be supported with its inner end in one of said sockets; an elastic member associated with the outer end of each of the said rods and adapted to maintain said rods in said sockets when the device is in use, thereby enabling said rods to maintain a horizontal position on the shoulders of the user; a suitable fabric covering said frame, and centrally apertured through which the head of the user is to be passed, and a curtain attached to said fabric.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination a centrally-apertured member adapted to rest on the shoulders of the user; a plurality of sockets radially-disposed thereon and carried thereby; rods adapted to be removably supported at their inner ends, one in each of the said sockets, and elastic means coupling said rods and functioning to normally keep said rods in said sockets.

CHARLES HALA. 

